Current weather

Robert Sloan's archive

It’s no secret that wild hogs are trying to take over Texas, and if you happen to be looking for a little hunting adventure on the wild side, try hog hunting at night – with a bow.

If that sounds a little crazy, you’re right on the money. The good news is that the hunting is done from elevated tree and tripod stands that offer you a little protection for close range encounters with wild pigs in the attack mode.

Sunday at sunset, Robert Mason, Denny Copeland and I were putting limits of mallards and pintails on duck straps. It was to be our last duck hunt of the 2011-12 season and one that a whole lot of us won’t soon forget.

This should give you an idea of how good the season was. Four of my duck hunting buddies in Central Texas bagged just over 800 ducks, which according to their data, is an all-time record for them. They hunt a lot, but what’s most interesting is that they only hunt on public lakes and rivers.

Buddy Smith had a pair of his favorite quail hunting dogs on the ground and Jimmie Buffett, his go-to pointer, was locked up on a covey in a brush pile next to a huge oak tree. Smith motioned for his yellow lab, Wes, to move in and flush the birds.

Mike Ramsey, his son Michael and I were on point when five bobwhite quail flushed. The birds were surprisingly fast, considering they were pen raised. But only two hit the ground.

Searching for the perfect saltwater fishing boat can be downright confusing. The top two questions center on two problems. First, do you want to have a boat with shallow running capabilities? Second, are you in the market for a boat that will fish two to four fishermen comfortably on the open bays, in the surf and at the jetties?

“Committing to a healthier lifestyle continues to be one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions for millions of Americans,” said Bryan Frazier with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “And this year, Texas State Parks are providing more than 40 places where folks can do just that—many of which are located close to major metro areas.”

While we harbor no disrespect for the Wall Street Journal who called us “that scrappy little paper from Southeast Texas,” we prefer to think of ourselves as simple seekers of the truth. We’re of the opinion that headlines and sound bites never tell the whole story. Our readers demand all the facts, facets and flavors of every story or event. And, they expect to be informed, educated and stirred to action.